One of the Wretched
by hanselswitch
Summary: Revenge is a dish best served cold. And the infamous witch hunters, Hansel and Gretel, are the main dish.
1. Chapter 1

**One of the Wretched**

_A Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters Fanfic_

_Written by hanselswitch_

**Summary:** Revenge is a dish best served cold. And the infamous witch hunters, Hansel and Gretel, are the main dish. Following the events after spoiling the plans of the black witch, Muriel, Hansel and Gretel move on with their hunting business as hunters despite the truth behind their past. The new knowledge they've gained since their hunt has made them stronger but will it protect them long enough? Their lives are, once again, threatened and when the famous hunters become the hunted once more, they figure out the hard was that this isn't just another ploy to harvest Gretel's heart. This is just a simple plan for revenge. But for what, exactly?

**A/N:** The events of this story take place after the movie's. There isn't much about the movie to spoil here but just as a fair warning, don't read if you're not a fan of reading it before watching the movie or getting itty bitty spoilers you'll complain about later. Just don't. Characters (except for originals) are not my own, sadly. It's been a long time since I've written a fanfic so please, be gentle mkay? Okay. Enjoy! _**Rated M because of reasons**_

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**Chapter One**

_The sound of their laughter filled their ears as they ran across the forest without a care._

"Anna, slow down!" a young girl squealed breathlessly, a smile gracing her features despite feeling winding as she ran through the dense woods. It wasn't a particularly sunny day and the sun rarely blessed this part of the area with warm light. The young girl looked ahead, the back of her friend, Anna, whose dark tresses trailed lightly behind her as she continued to run, looking back every so often and smiling delightfully when she saw she was feet ahead of her pursuers. "You'll have to be faster than that if you want to catch me, Gretel!" Anna exclaimed, laughing as she did.

Gretel was having a hard time navigating through the woods in her pale blue dress despite it not being so long and giving her enough freedom to dare venture in a game of chase in the woods. Their games were childish and plain and more often than not there was a competitive reason behind it. Despite her losing streak, Gretel was confident she'd be able to prove Anna wrong about who was the quickest.

The mud and slicks spots of the earth posed no detrimental to Anna's enthusiastic flight across the woods as she ran. She could smell the earth and wet grass beneath her and they calmed her. She peeked another glance behind her, smiling when she saw that Gretel was still a few feet behind and nowhere near catching up with her. "Give up yet?" Anna called out.

"Never!" Gretel called out.

Anna laughed at Gretel's determination but her lack of faith in her friend was gone when she looked ahead and ran straight into another figure, tumbling around the earth with arms securing her in place until they stopped. Young Anna landed on top a soft cushion that breathed in and out. She had her eyes closed and fingers grasped on the fabric of someone's shirt as she opened one eye and peered at the person she had just stumbled into. A young boy's laughter assured her he was okay and she sat up on her knees just as he did on his elbows, looking at her with a cocky grin and twinkle in his eyes.

"Gotcha." The young boy exclaimed excitedly.

Anna couldn't help but fold her arms and give him a pout. "Cheater." she said grudgingly and he ruffled her hair with his hand which she pushed away just as her face broke into a careless smile.

"Hansel?" Anna heard Gretel call out from afar and Anna looked behind her, losing sight of her friend after the toss and tumble she took against Hansel. "We got her, Gretel!" Hansel called out enthusiastically as he got up and dusted his trousers and vest from dead leaven and dirt. His sleeves were covered in dirt as was his trousers and face. Anna was sure her own dress and face had the same muddy appearance as his did.

He extended his hand out to her to help her up with a tender smile Anna was never prepared for. She stared at him for a moment before she glanced at his hand, her expression one of shocked disbelief. The smile had rendered her useless for a moment and she wondered why Hansel had that effect on her sometimes that she couldn't explain. "Come on, I'm not going to bite you." Hansel said, chuckling under his breath as he insistently shook his head to make her take it.

She blinked several times before she scowled and stuck her tongue out at him and took his hand. He lifted her up effortlessly and she proceeded to dust herself to keep herself occupied. "Are you ready, Princess Annie?" Hansel teased when Anna took a little bit too much time on dusting herself. She gave him a tight smile, never admitting that she liked his little pet name for her more than she did the Princess before it. "Princesses don't play in the mud." She retorted playfully.

"And they don't have dead leaves for a crown either." He teased back as he plucked a dead leaf from her hair. Anna grasped her head with both of her hands and shook the dead leaves out hastily. "Come on, your highness. Let's go get Gretel." Hansel said as he walked ahead of her. She quickly caught up to him but as soon as she did, they heard a distant cry.

Hansel was quicker to react while Anna was stunned for a moment until she heard Hansel cry out for his sister in a desperate fashion. "Gretel!" he called out and ran out into the woods, leaving Anna behind before she quickly reacted and ran behind him, unable to believe his quick reaction and even quick retreat to his sister. Anna wasn't even sure if the scream had belonged to Gretel but Hansel seemed positive it was the sound of his sister.

Both Anna and Hansel stopped in the spot they believed they heard the cry and he looked around frantically, calling out to his sister. "Hansel! Down here!" they heard Gretel and both Anna and Hansel looked down toward the edge of a ravine. One particular spot looked like there'd been a mud slide and Anna figured Gretel had been standing precariously on the edge as she waited for them. The soft earth was soaked in water and the added weight was too much and it broke free. At the bottom, near a small river lake, they saw Gretel covered in mud and looking a bit shaken. She looked up at them, fear in her eyes.

Hansel, once more, broke into quick action and slid down the ravine effortlessly towards his sister, leaving Anna behind as she took her time to come down, not wanting to risk a sprained or broken ankle. When Hansel got there, Gretel seemed on the verge of tears. Anna heard their hushed tones as she looked around her, wondering where they were and how would they get back. It would be dark soon and she prayed Gretel was hurt too badly that they couldn't move. However, Anna may have prayed much too late when she heard Gretel's agonized yelp.

Hansel had been trying to help her up on her feet but one foot gave way and she fell back, holding back her tears and cries for help. She began to shake her head uncontrollably. "I can't! It hurts…" she said, choking on her tears and frustration. Hansel looked around frantically just as Anna made her way over and immediately knelt beside her friend and taking a good look at Gretel's foot. She was covered in dirt and Anna wasn't sure if the bone was broken or not. If it was, there was the looming threat that if she didn't get it examined quickly enough Gretel may not be able to walk on that foot normally again.

Anna's knowledge in healing was limited to what her aunt taught her and even with the little she did know, it wouldn't be enough for help her friend. "We need to get her out of here." Hansel said. Anna looked up at him and then waved a hand around them. "We're in a ravine, Hansel. Climbing back up is pointless and I'm familiar with these parts of the woods." Anna said her tone on the brink of panicking.

Anna's comment didn't stop Hansel as he began to claw his way up. The earth gave and he would slide back down as he kicked the dirt in frustration. Anna was concentrated on Gretel's leg and had blocked Hansel's vain attempts to grab purchase of the muddy earth. If neither of them had climbed down, one of them could've gone and gotten help but now they couldn't and Anna was left without a choice.

She smiled at Gretel softly. "Don't worry, I'll make it better." She assured her and Gretel stared at her, perplexed about what Anna was talking about. Anna could only offer another small smile before she grabbed hold of Gretel's ankle and foot. Gretel hissed in pain and behind her, Hansel had stopped his useless attempts.

"Anna, stop it! You're hurting her!" Hansel cried out, moving towards them and hovering over Anna as he was unsure about what to do or how to best get Anna away.

"Hansel, wait!" Gretel said and Hansel looked at his sister with confusion.

The siblings heard their friend chant silently in words they couldn't understand. Her eyes were closed and Gretel felt warmth hit her, the pain ebbing away slowly until it was nearly gone. Gretel looked up at her brother who was stunned and confused still, seeking his sister out for an explanation as to what was going on. When Anna gently let go of her foot and smiled at Gretel, Hansel quickly knelt beside them, looking at his sister worriedly. "What did she do? What did you do?" he asked, looking at both girls for an explanation.

Anna stood up and both brother and sister looked up at her, expecting answers. She extended her hand out to Gretel who stared at Anna's hand as if she had snakes for fingers. "I-I can't!" Gretel exclaimed.

Anna rolled her eyes and took her friend's hand and pulled her up. Gretel tried to fight back but despite her struggles, Anna was stronger and before she knew, she was standing on both feet, the pain on her left foot gone. Hansel stared at Gretel incredulously and Anna smiled proudly. "See, I told you I would make it better." Anna said cheerfully.

"Anna!"

Anna's bright expression melted into shock as she looked up and saw her aunt, Eleanora and beside her, Hansel's and Gretel's mother, Adrianna. Eleanora looked disapprovingly of Anna and Adrianna's expression was much more controlled than Eleanora's but Anna could see the fear in the other woman's eyes. Anna looked back at Hansel and Gretel who looked relieved to see the women while Anna dreaded the fact that she may have just broken her chances of remaining here with her friends.


	2. Chapter 2

**One of the Wretched**

**Chapter Summary: **Since the events in Augsburg, the infamous witch hunters have continued their trek to scour all of Europe and deal with witches around the country. The siblings, along with their unlikely companions, find themselves in a small village known as Autoire where, as told by some accounts, men are being lured into the woods by a woman and thereafter are never heard of again. The hunters have to get to the bottom of the issue before villagers take matters into their own hands but could there be unseen complications?

**A/N: **Wow, this took a while to get up. Sorry for the delay, was dealing with a bit of writer's block and then got too lazy to edit and revise and all that good stuff. Alright, again, there isn't much about this fic that spoils the movie if you haven't seen it yet but again, fair warning in case your ultra-sensitive to itty bitty parts being retold about the movie and then giving me a headache about it. Enjoy the second chapter! _**Rated M because of reasons.**_

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_The dream pushed back into the dark corners of his mind as he opened his eyes._

Hansel groaned as he draped a heavy arm over his eyes, the sun shining through thin drapes that did little to chase away the morning light. He found himself on his back on a bed in a decrepit inn that he could only vaguely remember what he was doing there until sleep released its hold on him and his foggy thoughts were clearer. But like most dreams, it lingered and nagged at the back of his head, coaxing him to delve further into the fleeting scene before he forgot about it altogether.

He was never one to chase dreams that often reminded him of his childhood before he led this lifestyle with his sister, Gretel. He'd always held onto to the silent bitterness that if their parents had abandoned and forgotten them, then so should they. Why should they cling to false pretenses of children who hoped their parents would come back after leaving them out in the woods that dreadful night? But a lot has changed since Augsburg and he wasn't entirely sure what to think about his past anymore other than it couldn't be changed and there was no going back. This was their life now and it always would be.

Breaking his reverie, he heard someone snore. Confused, he was sure that it wasn't his sister who slept quietly balled up in a little ball that reminded him of a cat. The sound was male and as he removed his arm from over his eyes and turned his head to his right, and he spotted a young boy sleeping messily on the bed and snoring up a storm as if nothing were wrong. Hansel stared at the young man and remembered it was Ben, the young lad they had picked up in Augsburg who proved to be more useful despite his fanaticism over he and Gretel. Annoyed that the young man could sleep so soundly while Hansel seemed tormented by whatever dream he'd had, he was ready to chuck a boot at the boy when he heard someone knock on the door to their room.

"Who is it?" Hansel called out as he sat up on his bed, purposely being noisy to hopefully wake up Ben. No such luck and the young man only twitched and hummed before turning his back entirely on Hansel. Hansel's brow twitched annoyingly at the sight of the young man as he rose to his feet and moved toward the door, waiting for a response. "It is I, witch hunter, Maurice." Hansel heard on the other side of the door, the French accent clear as day.

Hansel opened the door and was greeted with the sight of an older man with an almost terrified look in his exoressiong as he flinched back from the door as Hansel had opened it. Hansel's own face held a bored expression but maybe the slight hint of his annoyance towards Ben was radiating to the man and made him a bit more nervous. "Morning, Maurice." Hansel greeted, everything coming back to him after an otherwise restless night.

"I-I'm sorry to disturb your slumber but I thought you should know." Maurice began as he shifted nervously, looking around as though he were afraid of someone eavesdropping on them. Hansel looked around, seeing the halls of the otherwise silent inn empty and quirking a brow curiously at the man. "Yes?" Hansel said, urging the man to continue.

"The men. I heard them talking last night while you and your sister strategized and planned. They talked about a woman." Maurice said and Hansel had to let out a small chuckle.

"Men tend to do that when they're drunk and lonely, Maurice." Hansel teased but Maurice wasn't amused.

"There are some things we forgot to mention, my friend. And we fear that perhaps in our attempts to protect someone we only inflicted more trouble for them." Maurice said gravely and Hansel's face fell, not liking when information wasn't given to them in full and the notion of someone paying for its misguidance.

"I'm sure you and your wife's intentions were noble, Maurice, but holding back any kind of information will only keep us from not getting our job here done as quickly as possible." Hansel said and Maurice nodded hastily as if it'd been something he told himself over and over again before coming to Hansel. "We must speak to you and your sister. Quickly." Maurice said before walking away downstairs in a hurried pace.

Hansel watched the older man part and shook his head, hoping that whatever, or whoever it was, they were trying to protect wasn't going to be a problem. Closing the door, he had only one thought in mind before he was reminded by someone's snoring and was reminded why he had been so annoyed before. Ben was still sound asleep and Hansel couldn't take it anymore. Grabbing his boot he flung at the young man's head and was rewarded with a frightened yelp before a loud thud confirmed the boy was finally awake. Hansel grinned, happy with the results as he looked at a disheveled and frightened Ben who scrambled to get up and looked around for trouble before looking at Hansel and straightening up a bit.

"A hunter must always have his guard up." Hansel said as he retrieved his boot and proceeded to put them on. Ben nodded understandingly but still a bit rattled from his rude awakening. "Always." Hansel added with a grave tone.

After rousing his sister up and heading downstairs to the rather empty bar, Hansel realized it was still pretty early and the inn's kitchen was not yet opened nor were the doors to the bar and eatery. They had the floor all to themselves and it was just the five of them, Hansel and Gretel, Ben, and the owners, Maurice and his wife, Francesca. Francesca stood behind her husband who sat across from the siblings on the table with Ben standing ever faithfully beside Hansel and his sister. "What exactly did these men say last night, Maurice?" Gretel asked. Hansel kept a watchful eye on their body language, reading them if they were lying or not.

"You two were hired to find the ones responsible for kidnapping and killing the men of our town. The few who managed to survive tell us the same story; they are each lured by the sight of a beautiful woman in the woods from where they are last seen." Maurice began, looking up at the siblings whose expression was silent and attentive. He sighed and fidgeted with his hands which were on the table. Francesca offered a supportive hand over her husband's shoulder and Maurice took her hand gently, as if she were a lifeline he needed to grab purchase to go on. Hansel noted this and knew that they were worried.

"Before you came here, accusations were falling on a woman who lives in the outskirts of the town with her aunt. She and her aunt are the only ones living in the woods and each disappearance has occurred near their cottage." Maurice said, looking at the two as if hoping to persuade some form of mercy from them. "The woman used to live here in town but after her husband passed a year prior to the disappearances, she went and moved with her aunt out in the woods. They came to the market from time to time and her aunt was always sought after for herbs and remedies and even helped women in the village give birth to their children. Ever since the accusations began flying, we haven't seen or heard of them since. And we feared we never would after one incident had nearly killed the woman's niece."

"Killed?" Gretel asked and Maurice nodded. "The children began throwing stones at her one day. Their seclusion wasn't healthy and others began to... talk. Of course, some parents aren't mindful about what their children hear and often do it on purpose to persuade them and others as well."

"What does this have to do with the men from last night, Maurice." Hansel asked, trying to get to the point of all this and Gretel gave him a chastised look even though she had been thinking the same thing. Hansel's tone made Maurice stutter for a moment before he gathered his wits. "Well, not many were happy about you two coming here as you must often get a lot in each town you visit." Maurice continued.

"The men here are proud and to have you two, especially a woman such as… yourself," Maurice sputtered, looking at Gretel who couldn't help but smile amusingly about it. "I heard them talking about heading over to the cottage and getting the job done and prove you were not needed."

"Well, we weren't told about these suspicions to go investigate ourselves before anyone else did. Did they say when?" Hansel asked, leaning back against the chair and folding his arms, mentally shaking his head when villagers tried to give their own brand of justice and only getting into more trouble all by themselves without him or his sister doing it for them.

"Today." Maurice said with fear and both Hansel and Gretel looked at one another. Hansel was the first to say something as he sighed and slammed his palms over the table to rise. "This could have been much easier had you told us the situation, Maurice." Hansel said as he turned his back to them, now realizing why they'd been woken so early in the morning.

Gretel looked at Maurice a bit more sympathetically than her brother. "Maurice, why are you telling us this now? Why didn't you did before?" she asked, curious about his answer. Maurice looked at Gretel, his eyes reading that he wasn't sure how to answer that or didn't want to.

"Eleanora, the aunt, saved me when I had a strange ailment that the doctor said I would die from." Francesca said, speaking for the first time. Hansel turned his head to look at them, the revelation surprising him. "Her niece has helped lost children, including a grandchild of ours, out of the forest when they get lost. We do not care if they are witches or not, but when the mayor had hired you two, we feared that he had informed you of things that were not true about Eleanora and her niece and you would kill them."

Hansel was briefly reminded of Mina and he would not lie that his heart did a wrenching tug at him when he remembered her bleeding and dying. It hadn't been love per se, admiration maybe but it hurt him that he hadn't been able to do much to help her when she had helped him countless of times before and the only thing he could do was kill the witch who had killed her in cold blood. There were good witches in the world but not many were plain to see and both he and Gretel had been blind by their own hunt to stop and notice. Not to mention that witch blood ran in their veins but not many knew that and they never saw the reason to divulge it.

"Gretel, let's go see what the ladies have to hide in the middle of the woods, we're wasting time." Hansel said and Gretel rose up to join her brother. Ben followed suit as they left the inn. "So, what is the plan?" he asked, wondering how they would fare with this new piece of evidence.

"How good are your interrogation skills?" Hansel asked and Ben blinked a couple of times in confusion. "Interrogation skills?" he echoed and Gretel grinned. "Didn't think so." Hansel replied. "Is Edward out in the woods?" Hansel asked Gretel of the troll she had acquired. She nodded. "With all our weapons." She added. "Good. We might need them." Hansel said.

Now Ben looked nervous. "You don't seriously think they would try and kill us, do you? I mean, they just told us that –"

"Ben." Hansel began. "What did I say?"

Ben sighed. "A hunter must always have his guard up."

"Always."


End file.
